Yahoo debuts first consumer ad campaign in years

Zoom in: Yahoo's Super Bowl ad, featuring actor Bill Murray, kicked off Yahoo's new commercial campaign around the power of its revamped email platform.

• The 15-second commercial, which aired in top markets during the Super Bowl, invited viewers to email Murray to receive a fun, short story in their inboxes.
• According to Yahoo, [email protected] received nearly 150,000 emails in the first two hours following the ad airing, plus millions of views and engagements across social.
• Viewers were directed to tune in to Yahoo's "BillCam" on Yahoo.com and Yahoo Sports on desktop or mobile, where Murray responded to fan emails in real time.
• Following the ad, viewers were able to engage with the story across mediums — from catching a glimpse of Bill "answering their emails" on Sunday night at Yahoo.com on Yahoo's official "Bill Cam" to partnerships with social influencers including Dude With Sign and FJerry.

The big picture: The ad marks Yahoo's reentry into the cultural zeitgeist as it looks to establish itself as a friendly, useful internet company in an era where Big Tech's reputation is divisive.

• "Yahoo has been part of people's lives for decades, with nearly 90% of the U.S. internet population coming to Yahoo each month. But not everyone may remember what Yahoo stands for," said Yahoo chief communications officer Sona Iliffe-Moon.
• "As we turn 30, it felt like the right time to get back into culture and conversation."'

Go deeper: How Yahoo sparked a renaissance under new owners